"Thailand hails the ASEAN chair`s constructive role in helping to settle its border conflict with Cambodia," Kasit said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Thai government hails the role of Indonesia as the ASEAN chair in helping solve its border dispute with Cambodia, Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya said.

The Thai foreign minister made the remark in a joint press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa at the foreign ministry here on Thursday.

"Thailand hails the ASEAN chair`s constructive role in helping to settle its border conflict with Cambodia," Kasit said.

"Thailand is one of ASEAN`s founders so that we wish to see ASEAN`s constructive role in settling the border conflict with Cambodia," Kasit told the press.

In the meantime, Minister Marty Natalegawa dismissed a press report that Thailand did not want the involvement of a third party in the resolution of bilateral conflicts.

"ASEAN is a big family to which Thailand also belongs, so it is no longer considered as a third party in this process," Marty said.

Marty also said, following his talks with Kasit, the Indonesian foreign minister believed that either Thailand or Cambodia wish to have the border areas conflict settled peacefully, but it is still not yet implemented.

"Both countries have shown intention to settle the border dispute without violence, but it has not materialized in concrete actions," Marty cited.

In addition, Marty stressed, there is a progress on the discussion of terms of reference for placing a monitoring team from Indonesia on the disputed border territory.

According to Marty, there was a significant progress related to the formulation of terms of reference from Indonesian monitoring team, and the Thai government has welcomed it, now it is going to be submitted to the Cambodian government in order to be accepted openly.

Marty also noted that the current problem is the crisis of confidence between the two parties, so that Indonesia plays a role to bridge their communication.

Gunfire at the Thailand-Cambodia border has lasted for seventh days, and caused 15 people killed.

ASEAN groups Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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